Comparisons of carbon and nitrogen dynamics of litterfall components in adjacent Pinus densiflora and Quercus variabilis stands

This study aimed to determine the effects of the stand and month on the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and the inputs of the litterfall components in adjacent Pinus densiflora and Quercus variabilis stands. The monthly C concentrations of the litterfall components were significantly higher in the P. densiflora stand than in the Q. variabilis stand, whereas the monthly N concentrations of the leaf and miscellaneous litter were higher in the Q. variabilis stand than in the P. densiflora stand. The coefficient variations of the N concentrations were higher than those of C concentrations of the litterfall components. The monthly C and N inputs of the leaf litter showed a unimodal pattern in the Q. variabilis stand, whereas multimodal patterns in the P. densiflora stand could be seen. The annual total C inputs were not significantly different between the P. densiflora [2 691 kg(C)·ha–1·yr–1] and Q. variabilis [2 439 kg(C)·ha–1·yr–1] stands. However, the annual total N inputs were significantly higher in the Q. variabilis [44.5 kg(N)·ha–1·yr–1] stand than in the P. densiflora [38.6 kg(N)·ha–1·yr–1] stand. These results indicate that the C and N dynamics in the litterfall components were affected by the species and sampling months in adjacent P. densiflora and Q. variabilis stands.